Around the North | A Slow Road Journey - 12 days+

As the name suggests, this is a slow ride - made for those who want to really take in Northern Vietnam without rushing through the small things along the way.

Distance: 150 km.

Departing from Hanoi, we take the quickest way out of the city via CT03 (Thang Long Avenue), escaping what might be the craziest traffic in Vietnam.

No need to rush. A start around 8:30-9:00 AM works perfectly, once people have dropped their kids off at school and settled in at work.

It takes about an hour of navigating through the traffic before things start to ease up.
We stop for our first coffee right on time for coffee o’clock.
Another hour down the road, we reach one of our favorite local lunch spots, right by the Black River.

After lunch, we join QL6, and from here the ride begins to change. The mountains slowly appear, and the journey becomes more enjoyable.
We cross Thung Khe Pass - a classic local riding route with wide views over the valleys.

From there, we drop down into Mai Chau and check into our homestay, located in a peaceful valley of rice paddies, surrounded by Thai ethnic villages

Distance: 140 km.

We take the old QL6 - the back road - to avoid traffic.

Tea plantations, rice paddies, corn fields, and mango gardens are the main local livelihoods here.
This is a beautiful countryside ride, where people don’t often see foreigners, so they treat you like a superstar.
Kids usually run out from the villages just to say hi and go for a high-five as we pass by.

There are a couple of waterfalls to visit along the way before lunch.
After that, we cross the Black River by ferry.

Once we’re across, we continue riding for about an hour on a good road along the river to reach our hotel.

Distance: 110 km.

We start the day riding from Phu Yen up towards Ta Xua on a good mountain road.
Along the way, there are coffee stops, cigarette breaks, and several viewpoints to take in the scenery.

From Ta Xua, the road starts to get rough and broken as we head out to the Dinosaur Backbone ridge.
An optional dirt track leads further out to the tip of the ridge.

We then loop back towards Ta Xua for lunch before continuing on to DT112 via Xin Vang, heading towards Tram Tau.
Once we arrive, we check into the homestay early, grab a cold beer, and head straight to the hot spring with a towel in hand.

It’s hard to describe this area without using words like “stunning” or “incredible”, but even that doesn’t quite do it justice.

The landscape feels raw and unreal - endless mountain ranges, deep valleys, and clouds drifting through the peaks. Some of the surrounding mountains reach around 2,800-2,900 meters, making this one of the highest areas in the Northwest.

This is still a relatively new destination, not as crowded as other popular routes, but it’s quickly gaining attention for hiking and motorbike trips.

Distance: 150 km.

Leaving Tram Tau, we take a detour via Lang Nhi towards Nghia Lo. This is a relatively new road and hasn’t been updated on Google Maps yet, so there’s almost no traffic - just locals.

This area was once considered one of the most remote and difficult regions to access in the Northwest, with steep terrain and no proper roads in the past. What used to be nearly inaccessible is now a smooth and rewarding ride.
The road is mostly in good condition, except for a few rough sections during the rainy season.
The ride is a lot of fun, with mountain views, plenty of tight corners, and steep climbs and descents.

We also take a shortcut through a tea plantation before stopping at a local Koy coffee shop.

It’s a slightly late lunch today, so we continue riding for another hour to Tu Le, where they serve amazing pork BBQ and what many consider the best sticky rice in Vietnam.

About 15 minutes after Tu Le, we stop at a viewpoint over Lim Mong Valley from Khau Pha Pass. This area is also known for paragliding.
From there, we take QL32 towards Mu Cang Chai, riding through one of the most famous regions for rice terraces in Vietnam.

Distance: 140 km.

We take the back roads to explore more local rice terraces - not just from a distance, but getting deeper into the countryside to see how people live here.

If we’re traveling during the “yellow season” in September, when the weather is good, and you don’t mind a 3 km local trail, we can visit the Lao Chai Horseshoe Terraces.

The QL32 section from Mu Cang Chai to Tan Uyen feels a lot like the legendary Ho Chi Minh Road - a smooth ride with mountain views and a river running alongside.

We ride through an area of tea plantations before taking on O Quy Ho Pass on the way to Sapa.
We check into our hotel early today, giving us more time to enjoy this lovely town.

Sapa to Bac Ha via Si Ma Cai - Chinese border ride

Distance: 175 km

Leaving Sapa, we ride about 40 km to Lao Cai - the main border city to check out the Chinese border gate.

Unlike the more familiar routes in Ha Giang or the Northeast, the scenery here feels raw and untouched - massive mountains, dense jungle, deep valleys, and sometimes you find yourself riding straight into the clouds.

One thing that always gets me thinking - why is the border set halfway up the mountain? Not at the top, not at the bottom - but right in the middle. It looks incredible, but it must have been a nightmare to build.

We also stop by a waterfall along the way and grab lunch at a local buffet.
The ride to Bac Ha is quiet and very local - almost no tourism.

Before reaching the hotel, we visit Hoang A Tuong Castle - a unique little landmark in the area.

Sapa to Bac Ha - Cable car to Fansipan - The Top of Indochina

Distance: 95 km

We keep the morning easy - no bikes, just Sapa.

We start with a short mountain train ride overlooking the rice terraces.
The station is just a few minutes’ walk uphill from the hotel, and it connects straight to the cable car.

From there, we take the cable car up to Fansipan.
The views keep getting better, and if you’re lucky, you might even end up "cloud hunting" - a thick layer of clouds rolling through the mountains under a clear blue sky.

There are around 600 steps to reach the summit at 3,143 m.
You can get a ticket that covers the additional lifts to shorten the climb a bit, but honestly, walking it makes it more rewarding.
Take your time at the top - explore the pagoda, grab a hot drink or even an ice cream, and of course, take plenty of photos.

After heading back down, we return to town for a proper lunch - often one of the best meals of the trip.
Then we gear up and ride out to Bac Ha in the afternoon. It’s a short ride, around two hours, and still a beautiful one.

Distance: 175 km

This day takes you into a quieter, less-traveled part of Ha Giang - even many local riders don’t make it out this way.
As a traveler, this is something you really only get to experience on a proper motorbike trip.

Just down the street from our hotel in Bac Ha, there’s a local market in the morning - a buffalo market on Friday or a dog market on Sundays.
Don’t worry - this is a well-known local breed, quite valuable, and commonly kept as pets.

The ride from Bac Ha to Xin Man is a great warm-up - smooth roads, plenty of viewpoints, and even a waterfall right by the roadside.

We stop early for lunch - not because we’re hungry, but because we don’t want to miss one of the best bowls of chicken noodle soup I’ve ever had.
It’s all made fresh right in front of you: rice sheets steamed on the spot, then cut into noodles seconds after you order.
The whole setup fits into just a couple of square meters - simple, but seriously impressive.

From Xin Man to Vinh Quang, the road turns rough.
DT178 is a small gravel road running along the river - twisty, a bit dirty, but a lot of fun if you’re up for it.

We stop for a “Koy coffee” in Vinh Quang - in Vietnam, that basically means a really good coffee spot.
From there, DT177 opens up into a wide, quiet road - smooth and easy to ride.
Once we reach the end of DT177, we join QL2 and continue on to Ha Giang.

Distance: 190 km.

Welcome to the famous Ha Giang Loop.

On this day, there are two different routes you can take, and both are beautiful in their own way.
Option 1: Ha Giang → Dong Van via Quan Ba and Yen Minh on QL4C, with many iconic viewpoints such as the Twin Mountains (nicknamed “Booby Mountains”), Tham Ma Pass, and the Nine Curve Pass.
Option 2: Ha Giang → Dong Van via Du Gia and Mau Due, with a mix of mountain views, a roadside waterfall, and an old French military post.

We can’t go to Dong Van without visiting the northernmost point of Vietnam - that would be a big mistake.
We also stop by the Lung Cu Flag Tower on the way.

Dong Van is one of the best places to stop on the Ha Giang Loop.
It’s known for its old quarter, H’mong restaurants, coffee shops, and massage places.
Recently, there are even underground pubs, rooftop bars, steak houses, and pizza spots - a real treat after a day on the motorbike.

Distance: 153 km.

We can’t do the Ha Giang Loop and miss the northernmost point of Vietnam - that would be a big mistake.
It’s about 30 km north of Dong Van. We visit the northernmost point first, then stop by the Lung Cu Flag Tower on the way back.

From Dong Van, we quickly get onto Ma Pi Leng Pass - the most beautiful mountain pass in the country.
We stop at the Tu San viewpoint, which shows exactly why people can’t get enough of the Ha Giang Loop.

Saying goodbye to Ha Giang, we continue towards Bao Lac via Khau Vai and cross the Nho Que River on a local bamboo ferry.
This is not an off-road-focused trip, but if you don’t mind a 2 km single track going down to the river and back up - and if the weather is dry - we’ll do it. It will never let you down - that’s my guarantee.

The day isn’t over yet - we finish with around 30 km of rough village roads before reaching our hotel.

Distance: 170 km.

Departing from Bao Lac, we take on Khau Coc Cha, also known as the 15-Level Pass.
It’s a very cool ride, and if you don’t mind a 1-hour hike, you can get a great view and a good photo from above.

The road is in great condition, and the scenery feels very “Northeast” - more open landscapes with a different character compared to the Northwest. The province is called Cao Bang, which roughly means “high flatland.”

We stop by Tra Linh Market - one of the biggest buffalo markets in Northern Vietnam. On busy market days, over 1,000 buffalo and cattle are traded.
The best part isn’t the size of the animals, but the intense bargaining - it always makes me laugh.

The highlight of the day is Ban Gioc Waterfall, one of the most impressive waterfalls in Vietnam, located right on the border between Vietnam and China. Swimming is not allowed here, but the boat trip is definitely worth it.

Our homestay is just a 10-minute ride from the waterfall.

Distance: 200 km.

We hit the road early today.

About 50 km from Ban Gioc, we reach Phuc Sen Blacksmith Village - a Nung community known for hand-forging tools from recycled truck leaf springs.
We stop to watch the locals at work, and if you’re up for it, you can even have a go yourself.

There are also plenty of souvenirs to take home, and they can laser-engrave your name or anything you like onto the knife.

We meet the boat driver at 4 PM.
We load our bikes onto the boat, which takes us through Puong Cave and across Ba Be Lake on a 1-hour boat trip.

The lake is vast, deep green, and full of local life. Feel free to grab a beer from the ice bucket - we’re not riding anymore from here.
The boat will take us straight to our homestay.

Distance: 220 km.

This day used to be a big ride in terms of distance, but not anymore since the new road was built.
You don’t even see it on Google Maps yet - it’s a wide, smooth, and quiet paved road.

We blast through the mountains before joining the highway towards Thai Nguyen.
The good news is that the highway allows motorbikes and isn’t very busy.

We stop for coffee and a simple lunch - beef noodles and fried rice.
Then we make our way into Hanoi traffic. We normally arrive back around 2 PM.